Finding a therapist you can afford

Start with what you already have: your insurance's provider list, a school counseling center, or a free Employee Assistance Program at work. Marketplace plans must cover therapy, with limits no stricter than for medical care. No insurance? SAMHSA's free 24/7 helpline (1-800-662-4357) can point you to state-funded programs and sliding-scale clinics, and community health centers charge based on income. Ask five questions before you book.

What to know

1. If you have insurance, call the number on your card or use the insurer's app or website to find participating providers near you. Ask: "Which therapists near me are in network and taking new patients?"
2. Student? Check your school's health or counseling center. See Using campus counseling.
3. Working? Ask HR whether there's an Employee Assistance Program. An EAP is a free, confidential service your employer pays for, and it helps with mental health, drug or alcohol use, grief and trauma.
4. No insurance or not enough? Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (TTY 1-800-487-4889). It's free, confidential and open 24/7, in English and Spanish. If you're uninsured or underinsured, it refers you to your state office for state-funded treatment, and often to places that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicaid.
5. Try a community health center. HRSA-funded health centers offer mental health care, adjust fees by income and family size, and serve everyone even if they can't pay.
6. See your primary care provider. They can do a first mental health screening and refer you to a social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist.
7. Before you book, ask: What experience do you have with my issue? How do you usually treat it? How long might treatment last? Do you take my insurance? What will it cost?